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Saturday, 28 November 2009

Well what can I say. After last weeks non event, and the week I've had, I really needed a nice day out with Olli shooting today to chill me out. The first drive, no birds near us and the second drive the same. I was starting to feel like crying. I had my gorgeous boy, keen eyed at my side and no work for him to do. Then on the 3rd drive one of the old pickers up, who works an equally aging but very good labrador, asked me to bring Olli in the pen where he was as there were some good birds coming down and too many for one dog. I did, and Olli finally started to pick up some birds. He found 2 runners, and then another 3 birds came down and he actually worked independently, just dropping them back to me while I tied up the birds with the other guy.

The next drive, picked up one bird and then we had to walk 2 fields back as a bird had been hit but drifted on across the valley. I sent him off and sure enough he found it and came back to me proud as punch.

After lunch we were in the perfect place. 2 guns in front of us, both good shots and 7 pheasants between them. Olli collected them all beautifully and brought them straight back to my hand.

Both of us covered in mud, but very happy walking side by side along the track back to the truck. He is such a joy to own and I love him so much.

Sunday, 22 November 2009

Wednesday eve we did a rounds night, with Fern running Olli and me with Lily. Interesting courses but not too tricky overall. Lily was mad keen as usual, and we had 2 clears, followed by a 5 for a pole in the 3rd round, then 2 slightly silly fast and furious rounds where Lily decided she was in charge, but it was good fun. Olli didn't make it around a single course, being very naughty on his contacts, and weave entries. Only 1 other person had 1 clear round though so I was fairly pleased.

Thursday a guy at one of the mills Rog works at had a bad accident involving an electrical explosion. He is lucky to be alive, but has a long road to recovery after receiving 30% burns to his face, chest and hands. He was rushed to the special burns unit where he will be for a while. Rog very shaken, and I was thanking god that it wasn't Rog. Does make you realise that working with industrial electricity as Rog does, it not the safest of jobs.

Saturday was a different day shooting. Once a season we put on a day for the estate owners, so that all the "Toffs" can have a day. It was hilarious really. All these extremely polite, well spoken "Gents" in beautiful attire, some with wives & children also dressed in tweeds etc, but most of them couldn't hit a barn door let alone a pheasant with a strong wind behind it!! Poor Olli was so frustrated! He kept watching birds fly over, heard the gunshot then couldn't understand why they weren't hitting the ground somewhere! He did make me laugh as drive after drive there were no birds to pick up, and he kept yipping in frustration. The very last shot before lunch, did manage to hit the target and the bird came sailing down to land no more than 10 feet from me. Olli picked it up and held it looking at me in disgust. I giggled lots. Luckily after lunch we had a few good shots and he managed to run and pick up 6 birds, including 1 which he managed to nick off a passing labrador. The labrador is not very obedient and had run through Olli's ground to pick up the bird. On his way back, Olli growled, the dog dropped the bird and Olli claimed it as his. So funny. Would love to know what was going on in his head.

Today we have delivered another dog walk and Rog is still working in the mill repairing damage from the blast on Thursday. Quiet day, bit subdued but a good job we have these lovely dogs of ours, including one very funny puppy to keep us sane.

Monday, 16 November 2009

What an appalling day Saturday was!! Storms arrived about 4am and woke us up. The wind was reaching frightening speeds, the rain was in bursts of torrential downpours and the whole house shook. We were meant to be setting off to Dartmoor for our first Grade 4 competition, but people were being warned to stay at home unless the journey was essential. Dartmoor is high, and very open, with its own weather system so it was bound to be 10 times worse there!................so we set off at 7am as planned. It was an awful drive, and I kept my speed down, fighting the wind and rain, so we arrived late and I had missed walking our first class. I watched about 10 dogs to try and suss out the course, but they all went wrong so that wasn't helping my nerves. It was a tricky course, but I eventually set Lily up on the start line, and crossed my fingers. She was a star, I was determined and we had a fast clear, taking us straight into the lead where we stayed! 1st place in her first G4 class. I was thrilled. The agility was an easier course, and Lily flew round again, doing lovely contacts, which I quick released and she went into the lead. We were pipped to the post by a lovely run by a neater collie, but 2nd place was still an amazing result.

Well worth the journey, and getting soaked to the skin.

Olli did some lovely runs but in both classes he missed his weave entry. Naughty Spaniel!!

Sunday we had a relaxing day, walked the dogs to chill out and Cove showed off his herding skills! Little boy is very adventurous, and confident so I think the long line will be staying on for a while yet.

Tuesday, 10 November 2009

Well it was a pretty wet, windy, muddy weekend all round!Saturday the rain held off most of the day, but the wind didn't and the mud was pretty deep. Olli managed to slop through it and collect 11 pheasants though, and worked well as usual. Fern came down in the afternoon and brought Dave to see what he thought. Not bothered by the guns at all, but he only stood with me & Olli for a while as we didn't want him to meet all the other gundogs off their leads. He would've kicked off big time!! Still, he was very good and maybe he can come more often and do some beating soon.Sunday we had a muddy car park to negotiate but a nice big indoor arena for our first indoor show of the year. Olli was a bit mad and although he did some amazing contacts, and got his weaves every time at speed, he didn't manage a clear round as he fell for jump traps, and then forgot what a tunnel was!!Lily only had 2 runs. I trained her Agility run, not for competition, and she did a fab recall through the weaves to start, followed by 3 totally nailed contacts so I was thrilled. In Senior jumping, which was quite trappy, she did a wild but fast clear round and was 2nd by just 2 tenths of a second!! Really pleased with that as she is only just senior at UKA, and its grade 5-6 equivalent.Cove had his first show experience, and was bold, happy, confident and very interested in watching the dogs competing! He had loads of cuddles, met a few of his family and a lovely Border Terrier pup for a quick play, so a happy but tired pup by the time we got home.

Wednesday, 4 November 2009

Well winter has arrived with avengence this week. After a lovely mild spell, we have had gales, downpours and the temperature has dropped by miles, so I guess its really winter now!

The dogs all have Thermatex padded coats so are warm and snuggly. Cove doesn't seem to be bothered much by the rain, still going out for his pees and poops!

This week he has been for his first few walks in the fields with the others. He is growing fast and can now run and play with the bigger dogs in short doses. Amazing to watch his natural herding instinct come in, when he was watching Lily & Olli. Tried to round them up a few times!

Also his ears are starting to change and are now both half up, so his face looks different. This photo was after a wet walk yesterday! What a scruff!

Run the Course training tonight with Lily & Olli, then normal class tomorrow and a show Sunday. Lilys first Senior UKA show so will be fun to try more testing courses.

I am starting patches this week to try and finally stop smoking, so may be some grumpy blogs over the next few weeks!!